SUSPENSION for ongoing construction of eight storey buildings and above is being called for by the Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM) until the land summit scheduled by Baguio City Congressman Marquez Go on September 6.
BRM Chairman Erdolfo Balajadia stressed if the city allows ongoing construction prior to the end of the land summit, this may drag on for some time and would put the city in a position on what action it must take.
“What do we do if a building of that height is constructed, what do we do with it? If there is this summit, then I suggest that we should not allow the building to rise up to 12 stories until the summit is terminated. Things regarding the height and other matters involving a 12 story building have been discussed and arrived at a conclusion,” Balajadia said.
Go scheduled the land summit to look for solution on the land situation of the city, and study and review on how government lands should be used for its purpose as defined by law.
The lawmaker said all government agencies will be invited to formulate laws in aid of legislation.
“If we continue to allow the construction of high rise buildings in the city without considering its physical effects on traffic congestion, the additional use of utilities like water, the additional population it will bring, the sewer needs it will incur among others, than this will add on to our problems in the city,” Balajadia stated.
“We are calling the congressman, the mayor and specially the members of the council that during the scheduled land summit, they would include and observe the existence of the City Environment Code which was approved by previous city council and the mayor so that any possible measure coming from the land summit pertaining to the construction of high rise building will be included,” Balajadia added.
Go expressed to craft a bill which would permanently fix the problem by looking at this holistically and come out with a solution aside from coming up with a timeline on how this will be addressed one by one.